Event Title

Speaker

Presentation Abstract

The increasing availability of commercial off-the-shelf unmanned systems is placing powerful data acquisition tools within reach of scientists and engineers engaged in coastal management, restoration, and remediation. Two diverse use cases are presented here which showcase the effectiveness of combined mapping by Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) to generate orthomosaic imagery and 3D digital surface models of subaqueous/subaerial terrain in low-lying and intertidal settings. These examples include combined UAS structure from motion (SfM) photogrammetry and USV single-beam sonar bathymetry: (1) to inform remedial design alternatives at an intertidal mudflat cleanup site in Class B airspace; and (2) to generate stage-storage relationships for low-lying lakes subject to increased flooding with sea-level rise and coastal storms. The common thread among these and other similar scale projects is that all data were collected and processed in-house by staff scientists or engineers engaged in the projects. Furthermore, if not for the reduced cost, ease of mobilization, and reduced response time of the unmanned systems, the datasets would not have been collected, and the sites would not have benefited from critical information. Several themes will be highlighted through discussion of the case examples: The versatility of unmanned platforms creates new options for monitoring complex sites with challenging or unsafe access. Combining traditionally separate data types through a common workflow (e.g. multi-parameter aerial and aquatic surveys) leads to a synoptic understanding of processes occurring at a site by introducing multiple lines of evidence to support observations. Commercially available turn-key systems help to simplify mission planning and data acquisition, allowing researchers to focus on the problem rather than the details of operating the equipment. Unmanned tools are easily integrated into existing data-management systems by utilizing standard software to process and manipulate sensor-specific or geospatial data.

Session Title

Structure from Motion and Drone Aerial Imagery for Coastal Restoration and Management

Keywords

UAS, Photogrammetry, Drones, Remediation, Restoration, Imagery

Conference Track

SSE15: Data and Information Management

Conference Name

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)

Document Type

Event

SSEC Identifier

SSE15-640

Start Date

4-4-2018 4:00 PM

End Date

4-4-2018 4:15 PM

Type of Presentation

Oral

Contributing Repository

Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.

Geographic Coverage

Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)

Rights

This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.

Format

Included in

Share

COinS

Apr 4th, 4:00 PMApr 4th, 4:15 PM

Empowering coastal engineers and scientists with unmanned systems

The increasing availability of commercial off-the-shelf unmanned systems is placing powerful data acquisition tools within reach of scientists and engineers engaged in coastal management, restoration, and remediation. Two diverse use cases are presented here which showcase the effectiveness of combined mapping by Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) to generate orthomosaic imagery and 3D digital surface models of subaqueous/subaerial terrain in low-lying and intertidal settings. These examples include combined UAS structure from motion (SfM) photogrammetry and USV single-beam sonar bathymetry: (1) to inform remedial design alternatives at an intertidal mudflat cleanup site in Class B airspace; and (2) to generate stage-storage relationships for low-lying lakes subject to increased flooding with sea-level rise and coastal storms. The common thread among these and other similar scale projects is that all data were collected and processed in-house by staff scientists or engineers engaged in the projects. Furthermore, if not for the reduced cost, ease of mobilization, and reduced response time of the unmanned systems, the datasets would not have been collected, and the sites would not have benefited from critical information. Several themes will be highlighted through discussion of the case examples: The versatility of unmanned platforms creates new options for monitoring complex sites with challenging or unsafe access. Combining traditionally separate data types through a common workflow (e.g. multi-parameter aerial and aquatic surveys) leads to a synoptic understanding of processes occurring at a site by introducing multiple lines of evidence to support observations. Commercially available turn-key systems help to simplify mission planning and data acquisition, allowing researchers to focus on the problem rather than the details of operating the equipment. Unmanned tools are easily integrated into existing data-management systems by utilizing standard software to process and manipulate sensor-specific or geospatial data.